The Sims 4: Midlife Crisis Guide

The Sims 4 Midlife Crisis mechanic adds more drama to the lives of your adult Sims. As can happen in real-life, these events trigger new aspirations for Sims, whether they want to take part in a new career path, grow closer to others, or achieve new levels of success. This guide tells you everything you need to know about dealing with Midlife Crisis events. 

How a Midlife Crisis Works in The Sims 4

Image via EA

Reminiscent of a similar mechanic in The Sims 3: Generations, adults can end up with one of four different Midlife Crises that they can either ignore or complete. Each of these events has various tasks associated with it.

If you complete those tasks, the timer attached to the crisis will decrease and your Sim will gain a positive Moodlet. If you ignore it, the crisis will complete when the timer finishes, with no extra positive Moodlets. 

Currently, there are no known triggers for getting a Midlife Crisis event aside from cheats. Otherwise, your Sim needs to be an adult and never had a Midlife Crisis before.

There’s a hint when one may be coming, however. If you see an Early Midlife Crisis notification, that means your Sim is heading towards a change in life goals if things don’t change. Sims cannot experience more than one of these at a time. 

During a Midlife Crisis, your Sim will consistently have a Tense Moodlet. You can use this as your tracker for how long the crisis will last. If you ignore it completely, the typical length of an episode will be seven days. Completing tasks will not only shorten that length of time but also award satisfaction points to your Sim that can be used to purchase unique items. 

Resolution Phase Explained

Once the crisis is over, your Sim will enter what is known as the Resolution phase. Your Sim will have the Happy Moodlet, giving them +2; they will potentially develop new likes or dislikes.

The Happy Moodlet will last two days before disappearing, completing the Resolution phase. Life will continue as usual for your Sim from that point forward. 

List of All Midlife Crisis Events

Midlife Crises are centered around a specific type of activity that your Sim may be missing in their life. And while the tasks may be assigned at random, none of them include massive impulse purchases seen in The Sims 3: Generations. 

• The Desire for Adventure: Tasks revolve around experiencing new things, exploring new areas, discovering hidden treasure, or taking part in extreme sports. 
• The Desire for Relationships: Tasks center on making new friends, getting married, and making meaningful connections.
• The Desire to Create: Creative tasks such as painting, playing piano or visiting museums comprise this crisis.
• The Desire for Success: Learning new skills and getting promoted are the focus of this Midlife Crisis.

That’s how a Midlife Crisis works in The Sims 4 from start to finish. What happens to your Sim and how long it lasts is completely up to you. For other guides on new Growing Together mechanics, check out our library of coverage for The Sims 4. 

Featured image via EA.